Now, I know what you Northerners (and Colorado people) are thinking....and no, it isnt a lot of snow, but it is enough to get my kid out of school ALL DAY! Can I get a "Praise the Lord"? Here in the south, we just dont have the equipment to handle ice and snow (Praise the Lord) so an inch of the white stuff can shut down half the state for a day or two (unless the temps stay below freezing and then it could be weeks). Someone better call Al Gore, because I think his global warming theory might be a hoax ;-) (but dont get me started on that!).
Moving right along...........
Well..........This is it. Our annual weekend shopping trip that began the first year we were married and has become a family tradition. We are doing it a little later than usual (we normally go in late October). We leave the kids with the grandparents and spend the weekend in Knoxville/Pigeon Forge doing ALL of our Christmas shopping. ALL of it. We eat where we want to (usually here and here and here). We shop where we want to. We touch and feel everything in every store. We even buy a few "little" things for ourselves. Yep, fun times.
Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year ;-).........
So, you might be wondering what I mean by needing a favor from you.........
The favor is a simple one. I know how many hits this site gets per day and I know that most of you do not comment....EVER. Out of approximately 400 hits, only an average of 12 - 20 of you ever comment......and it is usually the same 12 - 20 people who leave their thoughts.
Here is what I am asking: I would love, love, triple, dipple love it if everyone who reads this post would leave a comment. And not just any comment either. I have a special request.
Please comment anonymously -- no one leave your name/blogspot - click the anon. before publishing your comment -- should make it easy for those of you who are "comment shy", because I will not know who you are.
AND most importantly, leave a comment telling me what your greatest spiritual struggle/stronghold is. For instance, do you struggle with sin (you don't have to be specific or you can - it is anonymous), with having a daily Bible study, anger, knowing where you fit-in in God's kingdom, knowing God's plan for your life, being judgemental, trusting God........etc, etc., etc. Those are just a few examples.
Whatever your struggle or stronghold, please leave it in a comment. As long as you leave it anonymously, I promise, I will not know who left each comment.
I am interested in the major struggles and hindrances that Christians face and plan to use your comments for some future research.
Thanks! Better get to the store and buy your turkeys and pumpkins - they are flying off the shelves as we speak! I hope to post some of the recipes that I will be making next week for our family Thanksgiving dinner which will be held at my house on Thursday (this time last year, we thought it would be held at our new house this year, but dont worry, I am not the least bit bitter about it ;-). Have a great weekend............
29 comments:
This is an anonymous comment. Don't pay attention to the name in blue at the beginning of the comment, it's not him.
Alright, I will comment more anonymously later in the weekend, but, I just had to say that the snowfall looks beautiful. I also looked at the restaurants you and Steve will be visiting and it looks like you will be having a very carnivorous weekend. Sounds like a lot of fun. Have a safe trip and I will tell you all my faults in an anonymous post later in the weekend.
I can tell you that the biggest thing that I struggle with is a daily quiet time in God's word. I find that I am in constant prayer throughout my day whether it me prayers of praise, thanksgiving, or requests. I have struggled with daily bible study, and it seems to be getting worse rather than better. We do a devotional time with our children each evening, but I know that I need much more. Yes I know that I have many more struggles, but in keeping with the theme of my lack of time, I don't have the time to discuss them all in one sitting. I will try to return at a later time!
I keep the weight of the world on my shoulders, when I should just hand it over to God and let Him handle it. He will, if I let Him.
being faithful in intercessory prayer is hard for me.
p.s. people who read your blog via RSS feed probably don't show up as "hits" on your counter.
It's hard for me to comment anonymously! My hardest thing is having a consistent quiet time.
like the others, consistent quiet time is my big struggle too!
One, and notice I said one, of my many failures (sins) is trusting regardless of circumstances. I tend to allow or look at the surrounding people, or things and even though I know that God can change the people or situations, I just don't really trust the way that I know God wants me to. Being anonymous, no such thing because the one who matters already knows my weaknesses,(sins)and He knows this is one thing that I need to grow in.
Currently...my hangup is "WHERE DO YOU WANT ME GOD?" And, then I have 101 other hangups that He and I are working on too. Its daily.
I'm really, really struggling with my faith right now. My husband's job situation has been tough this last 14 months, a layoff after 9 years with his company, something we knew would eventually happen. Then the only job he found has been a horrible experience, and we've prayed DAILY for God to provide a new job, one that will let him back to church on Sundays, one that will be something he can actually not hate on a daily basis, one that pays a decent salary. He's actually not that hard to please, he can make most situations work for him but this job has been impossible to do that with! Here's the thing - we've been praying since January for an answer - and we've been met with silence. Every application falls into nowhere. The 2 he's been interviewed with have filled from within. (It's in the banking/finance industry, bad economy, 'nuff said.)
So, with all that said, I've slowly felt like, "God, hello?? Are you still there? Have you forgotten us? I've prayed, claimed scripture, asked for renewed faith, but in all honesty, it's been difficult to dredge up the faith. Lately, I've just been honest and said, "I don't feel the faith, but I'm claiming faith in you because I really do know You're there - and that You love us, that You'll provide." How does one change that paralyzing, weak faith problem?
So there you have it - weak faith. And a very, very long comment. (Sorry.)
My comment is the one above, about faith. I meant to add that I thank Him DAILY for the job we have, for the paycheck, the benefits, a way to keep us going. And we really are blessed in life with each other, our children, grandchildren, our home, my job, etc. So that's huge for me too, God has given me much to be thankful. Unfortunately, it hasn't put a full damper on my faith issue.
Now, aren't you glad you asked us to do this?? LOL
To Anonymous above: Please visit my blog, Eddies Place and read the last three blogs. I certainly understand your position, but more than that, God knows it.
i have 2 consistent struggles that God has been dealing with me lately.
my first struggle is to wake up early enough in the morning & spend time with Him before the rest of the day gets to me. and not just spend quiet time but to really get into the throne room and be filled with His presence that I will refuse to start my day without it. sounds soooo good to have but i can't seem to wake up for it!
that and taking care of His temple...ME...meaning to eat healthy, exercise and be a good steward with this body He has given me. i can't seem to wake up early for this either.
yeah. those are my 2 biggest daily struggles. i am working on those 2 struggles...so please pray for me :) thanks!
sporadic struggles occasionally include anger, being impatient, being ungraceful, lust, doubt, anxiousness, worry, mistrust, cursing under my breath when someone cuts me off or when i stub my toe...
thank God for His grace. i would be a wreck without it.
I struggle with trusting that God WILL heal my 38 year old angry, drug addicted son. I know He can, I don't know that He will.
I struggle with frustration due to lack of patience. I always want things to work out quickly and when God does them in His time, sometimes, it just isn't fast enough for me. As if my timeframe is important, right.
I also struggle with temptation. Satan is always lurking and waiting for an inroad someway. So many times I give in because of my lack of faith and he just wears me down. I always always always come back to God for forgiveness, but, it bothers me that I am so weak so often. God has been so very good to me. I just want to appreciate Him more and do His will, not mine.
wow..that's a big order. I struggle with anxiety over things that may never happen. I tend to seek out "people" first for solutions before I seek out the Lord's help. Bad pecking order.
Where do I begin on the struggles? There are too many to list. Probably the biggest daily struggle is giving EVERYTHING over to him. I have a control freak problem and for some silly reason I think that I can handle things better than...GOD!! I am confident for everyone else that God will see them through there trials but I don't seem to have the same confidence for myself and my situations.
i struggle to have a daily time with my Savior...I want it badly - desperately - but i just cannot seem to make the time.
I admit that I struggle with each of the ones already mentioned (and many more.) Most of the time, I feel like such a failure. I especially feel like a very bad example for my young son.
Making food and or material things my idols...expecting them to make me happy.
Also, listening to satan's lies about about who I am or am not, etc.
Can't believe you live in my favorite place AND got snow already ;-)
I am stuggling with anger when things do not go my way.
My weight. I am 300 lbs and am not living healthy for my family.
You have blessed me in this asking to comment. May the Lord Bless you
I thought of two or three areas where I struggle and then realized that if my time with God was more of a priority, the other two would fall in line. Why do I keep walking the walk and talking the talk without reconnecting daily with my source of strength? There's no way I would try to keep driving my van without refueling. I would never miss a physical meal. Maybe I should vow never to eat w/o reading His word first?
NO WAY you got "tons" more snow than we did. And we got no school breaks either....I am so jealous. Its just COLD at my house.
I was going to comment anonymously until I read Eddie's comment. Indeed, God Most High already knows what I struggle with, and Praise Him that He does.
Biggest Struggles (today):
Pride, Overeating, Unbelief, Judgemental thoughts
Some scripture that is speaking to me: Psalm 119.73 NLT
You made me; you created me.
Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
Proverbs 9.10
Those who know your name trust in you,for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.
Psalm 103 (especially v.10)this one is too good to only list part of!
I hope you enjoyed your weekend shopping!
I think my biggest stronghold is not understanding how much God loves me
and number two---I struggle with wanting to do it all myself.
I think the biggest struggle I deal with in my Christian life is remembering that God has forgiven me through the shedding of His Son's blood. We all have certain strings that Satan likes to pull and my string is guilt for past sins. I have learned that when I find my thoughts migrating to past mistakes the only remedy is going to His Word. Sometimes I am simply overcome with the awesomeness of what Jesus did for me. Thank you God for sending your Son to die for me and thank you Jesus for your willingness to suffer and die for one such as me.
I am currently struggling with God's Will for my life....I keep searching and praying and seem to find the answer...and then yet another roadblock....I just wish I could get a direct answer...Would make life so much easier. Still praying, reading God's word, hoping he will reveal something to me....Soon...Maybe patience is another one....=)
I could have posted the entry right above this one. I've pretty much always known "what" I was to do but now it's "where" and feeling like your spouse is on board too.
Making time in my day to truly spend it with God and giving him ALL of me-not just part of me..in a genuinally calm, quiet place.
xooxoxox
I struggle with feeling very alone in my passion for Christ especially in my family and my home. My spouse is a believer, but it seems finds my zealous passion for Christ a bit overwhelming and too much. I often feel like a caged bird in my own home just wanting to sing praises and cry out beause I just can't get over the cross, but it seems that I am apparently going about it wrong. I thought getting closer to God was suppose to bring me closer to my spouse (who is a believer), but it seems the closer I get to God, the more the enemy wants to drive a wedge between my spouse and myself. Lately I am heart broken with concern that a true conversion may not have taken place in my spouse and I am crying to God not to let the enemy have my spouse or my dear child. I can't imagine going to heaven without them.
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